Harley Davidson rider died in Fairfield County crash: SC cops

A motorcycle rider was killed in a late-night crash on a Midlands road, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The single-vehicle collision happened at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday on Wateree Road in Fairfield County, said Master Trooper David Jones. That’s near U.S. 21 on the west side of Lake Wateree.

A 2001 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was heading south on Wateree Road when it went off the left side of the road, according to Jones. The motorcycle hit a ditch and the rider was ejected, Jones said.

The motorcycle rider was taken to an area hospital and later died, according to Jones. There was no word if the rider wore a helmet.

The Fairfield County Coroner’s Office is expected to publicly identify the motorcycle rider after notifying the next of kin.

No other injuries were reported.

Information on what caused the Harley-Davidson to veer off the road was not available, but the collision continues to be investigated by Highway Patrol.

Through Friday afternoon, 109 motorcycle riders were among the 761 people who had died on South Carolina roads in 2021, state Department of Public Safety data shows. That’s well ahead of the 87 motorcycle riders who were killed in crashes at the same point last year.

At least seven people have been killed in Fairfield County crashes in 2021, and this was the first involving a motorcycle, according to DPS.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.